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One Monopoly game piece is getting evicted

Every weekday, PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy highlights the day’s most compelling stories and amusing marginalia on the Web in this, #TheDailySpin.

Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. In fact, get off the board entirely. Hasbro is launching a worldwide vote to determine which memorable game piece should be evicted from the classic game’s boardwalk. Participants must choose between the Scottie dog, racecar, top hat, iron, shoe, thimble, battleship, or wheelbarrow, one of which will be replaced with a new token also being voted on. Contenders for that piece include a diamond ring, helicopter, cat, robot and a guitar. Cast your vote on Monopoly's Facebook page by Feb. 5.

Monopoly is probably considered one of McDonald’s most anticipated consumer programs of the year, although the company hopes that in 2013 its customers will also welcome the reintroduction of a long-time friend: the Big Mac. Business Insider reports: “Those who do remember the years when the Big Mac was a pop-culture colossus —‘two all-beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun!’— are older than McD's core demographic.”

Overseas, the Golden Arches will focus on an even more youthful demographic: kids. McDonald’s U.K. will swap out toys in its Happy Meals in favor of non-fiction books as a part of its “Happy Readers” program. According to Marketing Week, the initiative—in partnership with the National Literacy Trust—was piloted last year. Naturally, it drew criticism for marketing to children at a time of such widespread childhood obesity.

McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants that employ drive-thru staff should be on the lookout for the latest hoax. From the brainchild of self-described “magician prankster” Magic of Rahat, here’s a trick you won’t see coming:

Although I doubt it’s on McDonald’s list of books to hand out, Julia Dawn Cole—best known as the spoiled brat Veruca Salt from the 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”—has written a memoir about the goings-on behind the scenes of the classic movie. “I Want it Now!” is available on Amazon, well, now.

Meanwhile, the struggling writer is a regular on film. From Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance in “The Shining” to Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra in “Limitless,” Word & Film highlights nine noteworthy scribes from the silver screen.

Bradley Cooper also plays an author in 2012’s “The Words,” but it was his role in “Silver Lining’s Playbook” that landed him a 2013 Oscar nod for Actor in a Leading Role when the Academy Award nominees were announced on Thursday morning. So who got snubbed? Deadline gives its take, but what do you think?

Gawker also reminds movie audiences to vote for this year’s 33rd Annual Golden Raspberry Awards (the Razzies), which were announced on Wednesday. Leading the pack with 11 nominations, including Worst Picture, is “Breaking Dawn Part 2.”

No matter which nominees take home trophies at Sunday’s Golden Globes, cohosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were kind enough to suggest a “dangerous” drinking game for those watching the telecast at home.

For only the second time in four decades, not a single one of the players nominated for entry into baseball’s Hall of Fame were elected, ESPN reports. BuzzFeed’s Summer Anne Burton explains why voting members of the Baseball Writers Association were wrong.

Hall of Famer Babe Ruth unintentionally got it right, at least according to The Buzz, where Mike Schaffer suggests that a quote by the Great Bambino adequately sums up the evolution of social media: “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” Essentially, marketers mustn’t rest on their laurels, as the technology and standards of today won’t necessarily carry over tomorrow.

Speaking of social media, Facebook invited reporters and bloggers to “come see what we’re building” at a press event next Tuesday at its headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif.

Any blogger in attendance will need to be on his or her game that day to get a good scoop, meaning a healthy breakfast is most likely essential. Nevertheless, ProBlogger insinuates that there are a number of to-dos bloggers should cross off their lists before they even think about pouring that bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Is there something you think we should include in our next edition of #TheDailySpin? Tweet me @iquotesometimes with your suggestions. Thanks in advance.